Srinagar authorities launch cleanliness drive at Chuntkul lake

SRINAGAR - Authorities in Srinagar have launched a massive cleanliness drive to restore the glory of Chuntkul, an outflow channel of the famous Dal Lake, which is choked by garbage.

Weeds and trash had completely blocked the Chuntkul channel, hampering smooth outflow of lake water into the River Jhelum.

The Lakes and Waterways Development Authority (LAWDA) machines have been deployed to remove weeds and garbage from the channel.

The Executive Engineer of LAWDA, Mushtaq Hussian Jan, said the cleanliness drive was launched to improve the circulation of water through Dal lake.

“Actually this is our overall programme of conservation of the Dal Lake. Under this project, we are cleaning the outflow-inflow channels and the inner circulation channels of Dal Lake. We are trying to keep these channels clean and maintained, which is very important for the health of the lake. And Chuntkul is a very important outflow channel,” said Jan.

Residents appreciated the step as the polluted channel was leading to spread of diseases.

“The cleaning step taken by the authorities is very nice and we are happy with this decision. Earlier, diseases were spreading because of the polluted channel. But now we are happy that government has taken up the step of cleaning the channel,” said Sameer Ahmad, a resident of Srinagar.

Chuntkul plays an important role in maintaining the level of the Dal Lake as the lake’s water flows through the channel into the River Jhelum. By Fayaz Ahmad (ANI)